Origins+of+the+Vietnam+War-Section+1

=Why did the United States become involved in Vietnam?= ANSWER: The United States became involved in Vietnam because we did not want the communism spreading to other countrys. [|More in depth]

REASON: __The United States became involved in Vietnam because Kennedy and Johnson had a vision in which America would be victorious from the Cold War and its global struggle against communism__. Until the 1960's Vietnam didnt attract american attention. The french ruled vietnam with an iron fist. The french planted laws into vietnam and imposed high taxes. Some Vietnenese benefited from it, and most didnt. Ho Chi Minh was a voice demanding indpendence for vietnam.Vietnam became a pawn for Cold War politics. Truman agreed to aid France's efforts to regain control in vietnam. The US contributed 2.6 $ billion dollars to France's war effort. The national priority was to contain Ho Chi Minh's communist in Vietnam.



__America opposed communism in Vietnam__. During the battle of Dien Bien Phu, France needed our military support. Eisenhower was willing to give them money, but not soldiers. Eisenhower did not commit American troops to defend colonialism in Asia. Though president firmly supported the new anticommunist government of south Vietnam. In 1954 though, we aided Vietnam. The united states and 7 other countries formed //SEATO//. (SEATO- Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) It was to contain the spread of Communism in Southeast asia.

Diem did not want to lose the election, so Diem refused to participate in one. The move made under the //auspices// (approval and support) of the USA government. In 1957 a communist rebel group in the south - NLF had committed themselves to undermining the Diem government and uniting Vietnam under a communist flag. Vietcong had a scandal where they assassinated government officials and destroyed roads and bridges. They had hit-and-run tactics which brought down and weakened Diem's hold on South Vietnam. In 1960, President Johnson took a more aggressive stand. It started in 1961 when he sent a group on special force troops to south Vietnam to advise the ARVN ( Army of the Republic of Vietnam ) on more effective ways to fight communist forces. By 1963, 15,000 "advisers" were fighting in Vietnam. Even though advisers fought bravely, and achieved some success... Diem continued to alienate South Vietnam. Later on the Kennedy administration figured out that South Vietnam needed new power, and on Nov.1 in 1963 Diem was removed from power and later assassinated.



__Johnson leads the Nation Into War.__ After Diem fell from power, Kennedy got assassinated. Then Johnson took over. He knew that people expected a victory in Vietnam. Johnson ordered airstrikes against North Vietnam. Johnson then asked congress to authorize the use of force to defend American troops. Congress then agreed to pass the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. [|MORE ABOUT GULF OF TONKIN] It authorized the President to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the U.S forces. The resolution gave Johnson tremendous war powers. Gave him the power to declare war without asking.